Not as common as barbell curls, and somewhat of a specialized exercise because it works the forearms and strengthens the wrists. It does work the biceps, but it’s heavy emphasis on the forearms prevents many women from doing this arm-toning exercise.

Technique

Stand erect with arms extended and grasp the bar with an overhand grip.

Pull your belly button towards your spine for lower back support.

Exhale, and raise the bar by bending your elbows.

Inhale, partially loosen your abs and slowly lower the bar.

Most common mistakes

Not keeping the wrists straight.

Letting the chest cave in and the shoulders round forward which is horrible for your posture.

Raising the barbell to high which forces your elbows to rise. This takes the load off of your forearms and biceps and places it on your front shoulder.

Rocking back and forth to get the weight up. This places stress on your lower back and over time can cause injury.

Letting the body’s weight shift from the heel of the foot to the ball of the foot. This makes your position, posture and balance more unstable.

Jerking the weight backwards (towards the body) during the middle portion of the movement. This transfers the load to your middle back.

Sleeveless in 7 rating: 8.5/10

This exercise does a great job at toning up your forearms and making your wrists strong. And although it doesn’t directly target the arm flab area, you should still do this exercise for better overall appearance.

Reverse Wrist Curls

Credit: leehayward.com

Here we have an exercise that solely works the forearms. You can see gym bunnies doing these all the time. I personally think this exercise is a waste of time unless you need to strengthen your wrists.

Technique

Sit with your forearms resting on your thighs or a bench, and grasp a barbell with an overhand grip.

Keep your abs slightly contracted at all times and maintain the natural curve of your back.

Raise the barbell by bending your wrists upwards.

Slowly return the barbell to the starting position.

Most common mistakes

Gripping the barbell too hard. This places a lot of strain on your wrists and can cause substantial pain.

Not bringing the barbell all the way up and all the way down. This limited range of motion reduces the effectiveness of the exercise.

Letting the elbows and wrists move around.

Sleeveless in 7 rating: 2/10

If you are looking for toned arms ASAP, this is not the exercise for you. It simply doesn’t target the areas you need to focus on.

That’s it for today’s review of exercises for your arms. Until next time!